Cataphracts development

[hoplite14gr]

As I said I think I will agree tha barding was initiated against archery and most step cultures were mainly horse archers.
Number of excavations in NW Ucrane revealed "horn armor".
My opinion is that the -laquered leather or horn protected mainly the horse.
The rider had usually more metal. It seems that the earlier Catafract charge recorded by a westerner is Xenophon but I guess if any member of the forum has delved in eastern literature or Archaeology might enlighten us more or give us a different view.
Kind regards
Stefanos